Update 8-29-06

Hi,

Some notes, a poem, and then Hy Rosov's entry from the Alumni Association's Memory Book.
   
    From Robert Fiveson:  Congratulations on what feels like a reinvigorated newsletter.  Kudos to Jerry Bittman, who I now see is an undercover genius.
   
    From Lynn Nudleman Villagran:  I would be interested in attending a mini-reunion for those celebrating their sixtieth birthdays, even though I will only be fifty-nine next year.
   
    From Ryki Zuckerman:  Copies of my book, Body of the Work, second edition, are now available for five dollars each, plus postage, which is another dollar-fifty or maybe less.  The book is a slim volume of poems from Textile Bridge Press, which used to publish Moody Street Irregulars: a Kerouac Newsletter.
        Also, next month Earth's Daughters, the magazine I co-edit, is sponsoring a series of readings, and one of the featured readers is ninety-three, but you'd never know it to see him.  And he's still very active, as an actor as well as a playwright.  Our website address is:  http://www.earthsdaughters.org/
        Finally Hallwalls is in Ani DiFranco's former church.  She bought and fixed it up.  That website address is:  http://www.hallwalls.org/perflit.html
   
    From Claire Brush Reinhardt:  The classes of 1961, 1962, and 1963 are planning a second 1, 2, 3 Reunion, since we did this successfully before.  As we may have already mentioned, the planned date is October 28, 2006.  The party will be from 12:30 PM to 5:30 PM, though we have plans to continue informally after that.  The place is the Knights of Columbus at 2985 Kenneth Place in Oceanside, New York.  The cost is $65.00 per person, and that includes a hot buffet, an open bar, the DJ, and lots of fun!
        We certainly welcome alumni from other graduation years, and checks can be made out to:  Valley Stream South High School Reunion and mailed to me, Claire Brush Reinhardt, at:  67 Adair Court, Malverne, New York 11565.  Please include your name, address, phone number, e-mail address if possible, and your graduation year.  Anyone wanting further information about the party may contact me by e-mail at:  Reino@optonline.net or Emily Kleinman Schreiber at:  Cre8em@aol.com.  Our reunion committee includes:  Dennis Elliott, Vinnie Fileccia, Linda Goerke, Lucille Sayre, Emily Schreiber, and Eric Spinner from '61; Claire Brush and Roberta Brill from '62; and Amy Miller from '63.  Hope to see some of you there.
   
    The poem, by Ryki Zuckerman, from her book:
   
    the quality of  mercy
   
    the capacity of birds
    is not restrained;
    it droppeth as the dirty rain from heaven
    upon my car beneath,
    which is twice blessed;
    it's blessed by fowl
    and blessed by tree-sap.
   
    my memory is not blessed;
    neither by clarity nor by remembrance;
    i can summon up
    only a few lines of portia's speech
    miss porter made us memorize
    in ninth grade english,
    but i can shake a spear
    at how she made me cringe
    the day i had to hobble in
    on crutches after breaking my ankle,
    ushered in, but then abandoned,
    by the principal,
    in the middle of her lesson,
    while the whole class stared at me.
   
    miss porter, not so judiciously,
    announced, without mercy
    "some people will do anything
    to get attention."
   
    Finally from the Alumni Association's Memory Book, a word from Hiram Rosov titled "Teaching at South -- A Joyous Life Experience."
        Joining the South High faculty in 1959 was a joyous life experience that would last twenty-six years, until I retired in 1985.  While teaching a truly motivated and energetic group of young adults was inspirational and exhilarating, the extracurricular activities I supervised were an even greater joy and challenge for me.  As the advisor to the yearbook, The Legend, for all those years, and to the student newspaper, The Southern Bell, for fifteen years, I gained a deep insight into the capabilities of South's creative and gifted students.  I also had the great pleasure of coaching track, soccer, and basketball, and, in 1960, acting in a faculty show.  Further, as a member of the orchestra for several plays put on by the drama club, I felt like a teenager when I was in my thirties.
        So many of my former students have distinguished themselves in the professions:  acting, writing, medicine, law, sports, politics, and education.  But most of all, I remember the extremely gifted and devoted members of the faculty.  They were my dearest friends, who gave of themselves so that South would be ranked as one of the best public schools.  They were all sincere and caring individuals, and some of the most dedicated teachers on Long Island.  Chuck Messner, Dennis Kiley, Bernie O'Brien, Irv Saffrin, Chuck Donohue, Vince Benevento, Adrian Biagioli, Bob Stevenson, Vince Tampio, Clara Hoogenboom, Ed Schmidt, Stan Silverberg, Bob Hoffman, Ina Ludtke, Joe Argenzio, Joe Caruso, Charlie Baker, Bob Leist, Booker Gibson, Don Hicks, Bill Kinkner, Terri Margolin, Sam Newman, Bob Parry, Marty Solomon, Murray Stambler, Dick Reilly, Phillis Gitlin and many more were my dearest friends and comrades.
        South has a great history and legacy.  We excelled in many fields, and our teams were champions.  Every year, Columbia University Press recognized our publications in the medalist and first place categories.  The Internet has brought me back into contact with many of my former students, and I love hearing from them.  In corresponding with them, I've been proud to learn that I had some small influence on their lives.
        Yes, almost fifty years have passed by quickly -- too quickly.  But the tradition of high standards and extracurricular accomplishments has been a constant reminder that South High School is still one of the finest training grounds for our future leaders.  My fondest and best wishes to all of you.  God bless you.
   
    [If you'd like to write Hy, his e-mail address is:  ChaiHy@aol.com.]